Combat camera having handgrip operating means



June 14, 1949. w. R. HARLOW COMBAT CAMERA HAVING HANDGRIP QPERATING MEANS v 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 13, 1946 William R. Harlow June 14, 1949.

w. R. HARLOW COMBAT CAMERA HAVING HANDGRIP OPERATING MEANS Filed Sept. 13, 1946 4 Shets-Sheet 2 William R. Harlow June 14, 1949. 4 w, HARLOW I 2,472,823

COMBAT CAMERA HAVING HANDGRIP OPERATING MEANS Filed Sept. 13, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig. 4.

3mm William R. Harlow June 14, 1949. w, ow 2,472,823 COMBAT CAMERA HAVING HANDGRIP OPERATING. MEANS Filed Sept. 13, l946 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 7 5s 5s 95 :09 I08 95 asg 5 90 as 3.44m William R. Harlow Patented June 14, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12,472,823 comm CAMERA HAviN 'HANDGRIP OPERATING MEANS William R. Harlow, United States Navy Application September 13, 1946, Serial No. 696,976

(01. 95-11) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883; as amended April 30, 1928; 370 o. G. 75.7)

'1 Claim.

The present invention relates to cameras and more particularly to a camera that may be used by'pilots of aircraft, personnel on ships, observers on the ground and any inexperienced individuals.

It is 'an object ofthe present invention to pro title a camera that isrugged, suitable, for opera tion with one hand and one that can be operated by inexperienced persons.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a camera, the mechanism of which isxnot affected by ext'reineplimatic conditions.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a camera having means for keeping the lens clean and dry.

A still further object of the present invention is the'provision of external controls that can be operated with gloved hands.

.A still further object of the; present .invention is the provision of a camera so simple in conistru'ction that it can be taken apart for repairs a single instrument.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of means for automatically foldthe invention as defined in the appended claim.

In order to make the invntion more clearly understood there are shown in the accompanying drawings, means for carrying" the invention into practical efi'e'tit, without limiting the improvements in their useful application tothe particular construction and arrangement which, for the purpose of explanation, have. been made the subje'ct of illustration.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig, l is a perspective view of the camera;

Fig. 2i's avertical sectional view-er the camera tiikfi Y1 an axial plane;

V Fig. '3 is a sectional View taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2';

4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4 of 3; aild Fig; 5 is a diagrammatic view of the internal mechanism of the camera.

In the drawings the numeral HI represents a camera having a housing II that may be of metal or any other suitable material,, and it comprises portions I2, ['3 and 14 that are adapted for interlocking engagement, the portion 13 being in the form of a frame, the lower portion l5 being formed into a hand grip, thus providing a means for grasping and holding the cameraby one hand of an operator. The housing .on one end is provided with a check plate It that may be of any suitable material. The portion i3 isprovided with a chamber I I (commonly known as a desic= cant chamber) and it is provided with. a plurality of bores 18, the chamber housing a moisture ab sorbing material 19; The portion I2 is secured to the portion or frame l3 by a bayonet lever latch 20. The portion M has provided in one side wall aclick track 2-:l having an indicator pointer 22, and in spaced relation from the click track 2| is a shutter click track 23 having an indicator pointer 24. 011 one face of the portion l4 and disposed between click tracks 2| and. 23 is indicia 25. Tothe end 26 of theportion l4 there is pivotally mounted a plate 21 that carries a view finder 28 and a sight 29, the plate 21 serving as a lens cap as shown in Figsz 2 and 3. The view finder 28 is provided with l=-shaped cut out portions forming dogs 30 as shown in Fig. 5. The sight 2!) is pivotally mounted on a pin 32, and to the bottom end of the sight-'29 is secured one end of spring rods 33, the: opposite ends of the rods being secured to the view finder 28. If desired the view finder assembly may be held in open position by a 1001434a Within the'portion l4 there is a mount having a backward extension 36 that intermeshes withan inner sleeve .3; that is provided with a forward extension 31. The mount 35 carries lenses 3!? and 40, irisdiaphragm 41 and shutter 42, the mount 35 being provided with a threaded screw 43. .Movement of the mount 35 is controlled by a thumb wheelflwthat is in engagement with threaded screw 45. Mounted internally' in the portion l4 and behind the lens 40 are filter mounts in whichare mounted filters 46. The filter mounts 45 are connected to rods 4-! that connect to exterior controls 48. A spring 49 holds the filter out of the optical system, except that it is-positively snapped into it by engaging the snap 50.

Mounted within the'portion I5 is a shaft 5! that is provided with clamp washers 52 and 53. Encompassing the shaft 5| are springs! and 55, spring 54 being connected to the shaft 5! by clamp washer 53. The spring 55 is connected to a main driving gear 56, that ison one end of the shaft 5i, and adjacent to the other end of the shaft 5! is a dog 5I that sides on a ratchet 58. To the end of shaft 5I is secured an arm 59 having a handle 60 that is hingedly mounted and when not in use fits snugly into a slot 6 I.

Meshing with the main driving gear 56 is a floater gear 62 having a bevel 63, the gear 62 being mounted in one end Wall of portion I3. The bevel 63 meshes with a bevel gear 64 that is mounted on the end of shaft 65, the other end of the shaft having a bevel gear 66 that meshes with a bevel gear 61 that is secured to the end of a take-up spool 68, the spool being housed in compartment 69 that is formed in the portions I2 and I3. The opposite sides of portions I2 and I3 have a companion compartment I that houses a spool II having a basket gear I2 attached to the bottom end of the spool II and to the upper end a handle II6, the spool being housed in a cassette I3. A spring I4 engages the basket gear I2 putting tension on it, but allowing it to turn in either direction. Film I5 is under spring tension on the take-up spool 66 and it is held fiat against the guide surfaces I6, pressure plate 11 and guide roller I8. The film I5 is metered from the spool II by a metering roller I9, the metering roller having secured to one end a beveled gear 80 that meshes with a cam gear 6! and a beveled gear 82, the gear 82 having secured thereto, or provided with a frictionally connected counter dial 83 and a knob 84. Mounted in the hand grip I 5 is a rod 85 having a button head 06, the opposite end of the rod being provided with notches 81. Adjacent the button head 86 of the rod 85 is a spring 88 and a dog 09, the dog being pivotally mounted at 90 and adapted to engage bar 9I that is pivotally connected at 92 to a bar 93, the lower end of the bar being provided with a dog 94.

The handle I5 is provided with a pressure bar 95, pivoted at 95' one" end of the bar being provided with an arm 96 having a locking element 91 that is adapted for engagement with the notches BI. To the end of the bar 95 there is secured one end of an element 99, the other end of the element being connected to a flexible steel tape 99 on drum I00 carried by pin IN. The drum is provided with an L-shaped cutout portion I02 and likewise a companion drum I03 at the opposite end of pin IOI is provided with an L-shaped cutout portion I04, the cutout portions being adapted to engage the cutout portions in the dogs 30. The pin IOI connects the drums, view finder and plate, the pin being encompassed by a spring I05.

The end of rod 85 engages the cam I06 of the bell crank I0! that is pivotally mounted at I08, the arm I09 having connected to its end, one end of an element IIO, the opposite end of element H0 being connected to a shutter arm III. The bell crank is normally held in an inoperative position by spring I I2 as shown in Fig. 5 one end of the spring connected to the arm I09 the opposite end anchored in the camera.

In the operation of the present device, an operators hand fits over the hand grip 55 with the thumb resting on the exposure button head 86. The fingers are in engagement with the pressure bar 95 that when pressed causes a downward tension on the element 98. This action through the flexible steel tape 99 on the drum I00 rotates the plate 2I, 270 from the position covering the lens to a position fiat on the top of portion I4. As the plate 21 passes the 90 position in rotation, the cutout portions I02 and I04 engage the dogs 30 on the view finder 28 and move it during the last 180 of travel to the upright position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. During the first of travel, the spring rods 33 raise the sight 29 into place, and if desired the plate 21 may be held in the operative position by the lock 34. Pressure on the finger bar also lowers the locking element 9'I allowing the exposure bar 85 to be operated, and this operation puts additional tension on the spring I05 which returns the finder and plate 2! to a closed position as soon as tension on the bar 95 is released.

The springs 54 and 55 in the handle I5 are wound by the handle 59 turning the shaft 5| in a counterclockwise direction, which turns the spring 54 which is connected to the shaft 5|. As the springs are wound, the clamp washer 52 slides along theshaft 5I as the size and length of the spring is reduced by tension. One end of spring 55 being connected to the main driving gear 56 keeps the gear under tension. The spring when wound is sufficient to operate the camera through full 24 exposures, and will give a recycling time of under one second, the dog 51 on the ratchet 58 prevents the turning of the shaft 5I in a clockwise direction, keeping the springs 54 and 55 wound. The main drive gear 56 meshes with the floater gear 62, the bevel 63 on the floater gear meshing with gear 64 rotates gear 66 through shaft 65, gear 66 being in mesh with gear 61 on the end of take-up spool 68 rotates the spool which is always under tension when the springs 54 and 55 are wound. Film I5 on spool II in the cassette I3 is threaded through the light lock II4 trained over the metering roller I9, across the guide surfaces I6 and focal plane, over guide roller I8 to spool 68. The film I5 is under constant spring tension on spool 68 which keeps it fiat against the guide surfaces I6 and it is metered by the metering roller I9, the pressure plate 11 assisting in keeping the film fiat and tight over the focal plane.

The iris diaphragm 4| is of a conventional type with openings from f/4 to f/16 and it may be controlled by a photo electric cell, however, in the present showing the aperture is controlled by the movement of pointer 22 along click track 2|. As shown by the indicia, the click operates a f/4 Dull; f/5.6 Cloudy; f/B Average; f/11 Bright; and, f/16 Brilliant; however, the iris may be set at any intermediate point.

The shutter speed is selected manually on the click track 23 through the indicator pointer 24 and set adjacent the indicia B; /50;

/200 and /400, on the side face of the element I4. The track may be locked at any desired speed (depending on the film used), for use in conjunction with the Dull to Brilliant iris diaphragm setting scale previously described. The shutter is a between-the-lens shutter, however, a behind-the-lens shutter, either louvre, focal plane or leaf type may be used permitting shutter speeds to /1000 of a second.

The film metering is activated by the return of the rod 85 through the spring I I2 aft-er exposure. When the exposure button 86 is pushed in the spring 68 is depressed, the dog 89 engaging the bar 9|. On its return the dog 89 moves the bar 9| on the pivot 92 compresses the spring Ill and unseats the dog 94 whichpermits one revolution of the cam gear 8| before the cam stop I I5 again engages the dog 94 stopping the action. During the one revolution of the cam gear BI, the gear 80 makes two revolutions advancing the film 15.

auaaas The back plate or element I2 is unlocked by a half turn of the bayonet lock 20 allowing element l2 to be removed, exposing the spools for removing and reloading. After the last exposure, the folding handle I I6 that is connected to spool II is turned to rewind the film after exposure, the spring 14 putting resistance on the gear I2 but allowing it to turn in either direction.

The exposure counter dial 83 on gear 82 can be set to the proper number by turning the knob 84.

The cheek plate I6 is shaped to fit the cheek and permits the camera to be held firmly against the face by an operator holding the camera by the hand grip [5.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

In a camera for one hand operation the combination of a case, a hand-grip member secured to the bottom of said case, a lens and shutter unit arranged telescopically in said case, a lens cover hinged to said case, a two-element view finder hinged to said case, both said lens cover and said view finder having the same hinge and being spring-loaded to a closed position, gripping pressure responsive means in said hand-grip REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,236,419 Folmer Aug. 14, 1917 1,246,328 Rutzen Nov. 13, 1917 1,907,437 Nopper May 9, 1933 2,414,083 Borden Jan. 14, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 234,823 Great Britain Dec. 17, 1925 464,420 Great Britain Apr. 19, 1937 

